By Hamu Madzedze
The National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) says it has put in place programs aimed at increasing the number of adult blood donors from thirty percent to 50 percent in a bid to augment the country's blood collections.
Addressing Journalists in Harare during the 2024 World Blood Donor Day Media Launch, NBSZ Chief Executive Officer Ms Lucy Mary Marowa said currently youths are contributing a higher percentage in terms of blood donation as compared to adults hence the need to bring a balance between adults and youths donors as this is key in building a sustainable national blood program .
"We want to change our statistics so that we have a 50: 50 balance between adults and youths blood donors at the moment it is pegged at 70:30 so if we could try to have more adults who will join the blood collection pool this will boost blood collections"she said.
Ms Marowa added that they are hopeful an increase in adult donors will bring up the country's statistics in terms of blood collections towards the 7 to 8 people per 1000 in the population from the current 6 per 1000 people .
The Chief Executive highlighted that the programs have started to yield results as indicated by the increase in the number of blood collections over the years .
"In 2022 there were 59 000 collections and last year we went straight to over 70 000 units and this year we are targeting a whooping 87 000 units and as you can see we are doing our best to increase the number of collections and the results are already showing" said Ms Marowa.
She also said they are targeting places where adults gather such as workplaces and the church so that they can take the services to them.
"We have started looking at community panels such as the church and workplace and this means going to places where adults gather so that we take services to them considering their busy schedules" said. Ms Marowa
Ms Marowa pointed out that by end of year they would have introduced nucleic acid testing ,a highly sensitive method of testing blood and with this test their blood testing strategies will be higher and it will widen the donation pool.
Responding to the issue of Blood Group O shortages Ms Marowa said the perennial shortages of blood group O are a result of the fact that 52 percent of the Zimbabwean population is blood group O so they will never be adequate stocks.
"If you move into a hospital today half of the patients are Blood Group O and what it means is it will run faster that's why there are always perennial shortages because one patient has to get blood from multiple donors but multiple donors have to donate to that one patient "said the Chief Executive.
In the middle NBSZ CEO Ms Lucy Mary Marowa addressing Journalist during the World Blood Donor Day Media Launch 2024
Meanwhile she said this year's World Blood Donor Day celebrations will be held in Kwekwe on the 15th of June under the theme "20 years of celebrating giving .Thank you blood donors"
Ms Marowa has applauded the Zimbabwean blood donor community for donating their blood selflessly and saving lives.
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